Man dies covered in necrotic lesions after amoebas eat him alive
Summary
A 78-year-old man developed black skin lesions and deep ulcers over six months caused by a common amoeba called Acanthamoeba. Despite treatment efforts at Yale School of Medicine, the infection worsened and the man eventually died.Key Facts
- The man’s skin had black scabs and holes, including one between his mouth and nose.
- Doctors discovered Acanthamoeba, a free-living amoeba found in tap water, was the cause.
- Usually, Acanthamoeba infections affect people with weak immune systems, but this man was otherwise healthy.
- He used nasal rinses, likely with tap water, which is a common way to get infected.
- Initial tests failed to find the amoeba and doctors mistakenly gave him drugs that weakened his immune system.
- His condition worsened until Yale doctors identified the amoeba through DNA testing of a skin biopsy.
- The man was treated with multiple drugs recommended by the CDC and an experimental antibiotic approved by the FDA.
- Despite treatment, he continued to decline and died from the infection.
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